Breakthroughs for preventing pistachio hull split

When pistachio hulls split before the nuts are harvested, insects and fungi can get inside, damaging the nut, costing farmers money and contaminating the nuts. About 4% of the overall crop experiences hull split, but some cultivars can split as much as 40% under certain conditions. Now, for the first time, scientists at the University of California, Davis, are seeking solutions for California's $2-billion-a-year pistachio industry.